Hollands released and Pitman makes his Rovers return
Former Pompey favourites Brett Pitman and Danny Hollands are to leave Eastleigh this summer.
The National League side confirmed their retained list on Monday night and revealed the experienced duo are to depart the Silverlake Stadium at the end of the month.
For central midfielder Hollands, it ends a five-year association with the Spitfires – which has seen the Fontwell-based player at the heart of play-off campaigns and relegation battles.
As for striker Pitman, it means a return to parent club Bristol Rovers for now, after he penned a short-term loan deal with the non-leaguers in January.
Following a brief stint at Crewe, after leaving Pompey in 2016, 36-year-old Hollands returned to the south coast in 2017 as Eastleigh eyed promotion to the Football League.
Since then, he has made 167 appearances in blue and while, scoring 14 goals.
Hollands’ most memorable moment for Eastleigh came in May 2019, when he bagged an extra-time winner in the play-off quarterfinal second leg against Wrexham.
However, his presence failed to instigate the move up to League Two many had hoped for.
Indeed, the midfielder completed only 13 full league matches this term as Lee Bradbury’s team finished the season in 19th.
He made 94 appearances for Pompey, scoring seven goals, after initially arriving at Fratton Park on loan from Charlton.
Hollands’ frustrations this term would have been replicated by Pitman.
Announced as a bignamed signing in February, he managed just one goal in 17 loan appearances as the former Blues skipper struggled to make the impact in front of goal he would have hoped for.
In fact, only eight of those outings came as starts, while he failed to come off the bench for Eastleigh’s final game against Grimsby – a game that finished 4-4.
Pitman’s future is unclear, following the Gas’ promotion to League One during his time in the nonleague game.
Eastleigh have also released ex-Horndean youngster Sam Smart, who had a loan spell at Hawks in 2021/22.